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4 Incredible Swarms That Are A Wonder to Behold

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All too often we think of a swarm of something bad, perhaps even as some type of omen.

While it’s true that a swarm of locusts was once foretold as one of the nine plagues of Egypt

and even today they’re still considered a somewhat scary pest,

it’s not true that all swarms of animals are to be feared.

In fact, some swarms can be the exact opposite

and they can be a true beauty and wonder to behold.

Here are four of those swarms…

1.Red Crab Migration, Christmas Island

Considered to be one of the most breathtaking migrations of Earth, each year thousands of red crabs swarm from their in-land homes across Christmas Island so they can lay their eggs in the sea. On their way they cross roads, storm gardens and even enter homes as they make a bid to breed.

The migration usually begins at the start of the wet season (late October or early November) each year and in the months beforehand islanders and national park staff make a bid to protect the crabs on their journey by fencing off safe paths for them so as to stop them being crushed by cars or entering areas where they may become dehydrated.

The red crab migration truly is a wonder to behold and you’ll no doubt be speechless as you gaze upon the wash of red swarming before you.

2. Bee Suit, China

She Ping, a 34 year-old Chinese beekeeper, broke the record this year for the worlds heaviest bee suit. While some may call him insane, Ping took on this feat for his simple love of bees, feeling as though he has a connection to the often feared species.

On April 9th 2014 he released more than 460,000 bees and attracted them to his body using a pheromone which the bees associate with their queen. The bees then flocked to him, smothering near every inch of his skin, but instead of attacking him as some people feared they aimed to protect him, thinking that he was in fact the Queen Bee. Within 40 minutes Ping’s suit weight 45.65kg, placing him firmly in the record books.

3. Silver Carp, North America

Having been originally imported to north America to control algae growth in aqua-culture facilities in the 1970s, a great deal of the silver carp escaped from captivity soon after. They flourished in the Mississippi river and flocked to Illinois, Louisiana and South Dakota, taking over local rivers and outnumbering the native species.

While the silver carp are considered to be a pest in these areas, that doesn’t mean they’re not still a wonder to behold however.

These fish have an odd reaction to fear which causes them to leap from the water in their hundreds ever time the water is disturbed by a passing boat, fish, person or anything else. They’re often known to leap from the water into the boats of passing anglers, making for an easy day fishing.

4. Starling Murmuration, Italy

Each winter near ten million starlings flock to the Italian capital, Rome. The historical city is said to be one of the most beautiful in the world and when you look upon the starlings swooping, shifting and dancing as one in the skies above Rome as dusk falls it’s quite easy to believe.

The extraordinary sight of the starlings moving in an unpredictable waltz is truly hypnotic and is a pre-roosting phenomenon which is known as starling murmuration. Despite the beauty of the spectacle, there is one great downside which the starlings bring to the city which is the mess they leave behind.

Cars, buildings and even people are smothered in their leavings, though this issue is easy to forget as you gaze upon the ballet in the sky.